Canadiens’ perfect trade offer for Ducks’ Mason McTavish

The Montreal Canadiens were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Final by the Carolina Hurricanes. While they put together a great playoff run, their five-game exit showed how far away they are from a Stanley Cup. The Anaheim Ducks could trade Mason McTavish this summer, and the Canadiens could put together the perfect package.

McTavish’s time with the Ducks took a turn last offseason, when he was locked in a contentious contract battle with the front office. They landed on a six-year deal worth $7 million per season, which started in the 2025-26 season. McTavish scored only 17 goals and 41 points in the first season of that deal, which could lead to a trade.

The Ducks found mutual success by trading Trevor Zegras before last season. Anaheim finally returned to the playoffs, while Zegras was in the dance with the Philadelphia Flyers. Trading McTavish could provide similar returns, as the Canadiens have pieces that could help the Ducks.

McTavish makes $7 million per year, which the Canadiens can fit under the cap. But they could keep some space open by including Brendan Gallagher in the deal. The longtime Hab knows his time in Montreal is coming to an end, but he still has one year left on his deal. At $6.5 million, the Ducks could flip him immediately for a draft pick or low-end prospect.

The Ducks could use another defenseman on their NHL blueline. With all three of their veteran pieces, Jacob Trouba, Radko Gudas, and John Carlson, hitting free agency, picking up a defenseman in this trade is key. David Reinbacher should be available from the Canadiens and could slide into the Ducks’ lineup perfectly.

McTavish is a valuable asset, so the Canadiens would have to give up some draft picks as well. That makes the perfect trade offer: Brendan Gallagher, David Reinbacher, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 fifth-round pick.

Why would Ducks trade Mason McTavish to Canadiens?

The Ducks have finally broken out of their rebuild, which makes the idea of trading McTavish a bit questionable. But the time has come, especially considering the recent coaching change. Joel Quenneville got the most out of this roster without much from McTavish, so he could certainly do it again with an improved defense.

The Canadiens made a big trade for Noah Dobson last offseason, giving them another NHL-caliber defenseman, but subtracting from their pipeline. They could have taken two players in the first round in 2025, but instead traded both picks to the New York Islanders for Dobson. This is the time for the Canadiens to push their chips in, and McTavish could be the perfect piece.

McTavish has played center throughout his NHL career, which is very valuable in the trade market. With Philip Danault entering the final year of his deal, it would be smart for the Canadiens to lock in some depth this offseason. McTavish learning from Danault, one of the elite defensive centers, would be a great way for him to develop.

If the Canadiens want to make significant improvements in the offseason, it will have to come in the trade market. There are not many impact players hitting free agency this year due to the expanding salary cap. McTavish is one of the few young players who could actually be moved this offseason. That should have Montreal picking up the phones before this month’s draft.

The Ducks have great young forwards to build around, but have not developed any defensemen behind Jackson LaCombe. Bringing in Reinbacher could be the final piece that moves them into Western Conference playoff contention quickly. They beat the Edmonton Oilers in the first round this year, so it should be a move to add pieces this offseason.

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